Five Anchors of Faith

There has been some online chatter over the last couple of years among my peers about religious doubts, whether it be reconciling seemingly outdated or conflicting scriptures, events in the history of my church, or doubting the existence of God entirely.[i]

Since returning from my mission eleven years ago, I have gone through somewhat of an evolution of my faith and testimony. As a missionary, my faith was strong, but it was, perhaps, simple in many ways. As I advanced in my higher education, I learned to think more critically, and that critical thinking spilled over into my spiritual life. This led me to confront certain doubts and issues, and for several years I oscillated back and forth between doubt and faith. I have struggled with doubts from time to time, and there are many questions for which I still don’t have answers. As I have confronted these issues, there are some principles that have helped keep me anchored in my faith and have actually helped my faith to grow, even as I have wrestled with my doubts. I recommend these principles to anyone who, from time to time, encounters doubts on the path of faith (this no doubt includes most believers—if not all believers).

1. Consider our limited view of the big picture. Understand and accept that we don't know everything. I firmly believe that part of having faith in God and His plan includes understanding that we only have a very finite view of the “big picture.” My toddler provides a good parallel example.[ii] He understands and comprehends a lot for a three-year old, but at this particular point in time, he is simply incapable of comprehending calculus, physics, law, psychology, or any other field of higher education. He has some of the building blocks (i.e., ABCs, reading simple words, numbers, etc.) to eventually understand these concepts, but how far he progresses in these concepts will depend on what he does with these foundational principles in the years to come. Similarly, I believe that we receive knowledge and wisdom from God as we are prepared to receive it, based upon what we do with the knowledge we currently have. In many ways, I think that most if not all of us are infants and toddlers, spiritually speaking. The scriptures say that we learn line upon line, precept upon precept,[iii] that we have to learn the milk before we can understand the meat.[iv] And it is important to remember that we don’t have the full picture, and therefore we don’t comprehend all that God comprehends. God told us through the prophet Isaiah, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”[v]

As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I believe in continuing revelation. One of our Articles of Faith states, “We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.” As we collectively and individually are ready to receive more knowledge and truth, God will reveal it to us through His modern-day prophets and through His Holy Spirit.

In addition, it has been my experience that resolution to certain concerns or questions does not come until I take a step of faith into the dark. At a recent Stake Conference, the visiting General Authority shared an analogy that sometimes our faith is like walking into a dark room fumbling for the light switch. When we don’t find the switch, we take a step into the darkness to find that things were not as we thought them to be. In fact, the room has no light switch, but the lights are motion-sensored, and our step into the darkness actually illuminated the room. Similarly, our answers may come in a way that we are not expecting (i.e., no light switch), and we often have to walk in the dark for a time—and maybe even a lifetime—before some questions will be answered. Part of the purpose of this life is to be tested and to grow,[vi] and the test and growth can only occur in an environment in which we have to exercise our faith.

2. Don't neglect the basics. I had a Sunday School teacher as a teenager that shared that on occasion he would approach his dad asking "difficult" questions. His father’s reply would often be, "I don't know, son, I'm still working on faith and repentance." That has always stuck with me. I don't think his father was suggesting that we shouldn't seek answers to difficult questions. Rather, we should recognize that we don't have all the answers, and there are likely more important elements of the gospel of Jesus Christ than what may be occupying our mind (for example, focusing on personal improvement, serving others, striving to understand the atonement of Jesus Christ, and preparing each week for the sacrament). These are some of the foundational principles, like the ABCs and 123s my toddler has learned, that are central to God’s plan and purpose for us on this earth. I recently asked myself, "Does it really matter to my salvation to know [fill in the blank with any of the questions I have]?” Let us not be guilty of "looking beyond the mark."

3. Remember. Revelation 3:3 says, “Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast...” Remember the times when you have felt the Spirit[vii] and hold fast to those experiences. When doubts bubble up, I can always fall back on a handful of experiences I have had with God—some “bigger” experiences where I have felt of God’s love and presence very strongly, but mostly just an accumulation of many encounters with my Heavenly Father that have built my faith over time.

To aid in remembering, it's a good idea to record such experiences in a journal or somewhere where you can remember and recall the feelings you felt when you have most felt faith. In the Book of Mormon, two groups (the Lehites and the Mulekites) each left to the Americas from Jerusalem. A few hundred years later, the two groups met up, and one of the groups (the Mulekites) had nearly completely lost their language and the teachings of the prophets of Israel. The other group (the Lehites) had retained their language and the teachings of the prophets. The Lehites did not drift in their teachings and their language because they had records with the words of the prophets that allowed them to remember their language and the teachings of these prophets. Benjamin, a Book of Mormon king and prophet, taught his sons, “For it were not possible that our father, Lehi, could have remembered all these things, to have taught them to his children, except it were for the help of these plates [i.e., records]; ... therefore he could read these engravings, and teach them to his children, that thereby they could teach them to their children, and so fulfilling the commandments of God, even down to this present time.”(Mosiah 1:4) Generally speaking, this is one of the many reasons why scriptures are important: they are a documented collection of prophets’ teachings, and they help us learn and remember the teachings of prophets who have gone before. They anchor us in the doctrine of Christ and reduce the risk of our being “tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine” (see Ephesians 4:14).[viii]

In a similar way, a personal record of spiritual experiences can help to anchor us individually in our faith. I still draw strength from experiences I had more than 15 years ago as a teenager because they are in my journal. If you have not kept such a personal record up to this point, you can begin now and start with remembering and recording the faith-building moments that have most affected you.

4. Give equal time to the Lord. In a 2010 Church Educational System fireside, Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles shared the following account:

Some years ago one of my missionaries came to see me. He said: “President, I am losing my testimony. I have some questions that no one will answer for me. My bishop and stake president just told me to forget them, and they had no answers.”

I asked for his questions in writing and then suggested he come to see me in 10 days, and I would answer every one of his questions.

As he was leaving my office, I was prompted to ask him, “Elder, how long has it been since you have read from the scriptures?”

He acknowledged that it had been a long time.

I said: “You have given me an assignment; it’s only fair that I give you one. You read at least one hour from the scriptures each day until you come back for your answers.”

He agreed to do this.

When he came back, I was ready. He said: “President, I don’t need the answers. I know the Book of Mormon is true. I know Joseph Smith is a prophet. I’m OK now.”

I replied: “You will get your answers anyway. I worked hard on them!” ...

After our discussion I asked him, “Elder, what have you learned from all of this?”

And he gave me a very significant response: “I’ve learned to give the Lord equal time!”

Make time to give the Lord equal time. In my opinion, it would be unfair and unwise to spend more time listening to voices of doubt than we put into our study of the scriptures and actually talking to Heavenly Father about our concerns in prayer. This is particularly true since we know that Satan[ix] is actively trying to destroy our faith. The times I have struggled most with my doubts are when I am most lax in my scripture study, prayer, temple attendance, and other spiritual activities.

5. Lean on others’ faith.  It's okay (and actually praiseworthy) to rely on others' faith at times. The scriptures describe having a testimony as a spiritual gift, but they also say that the ability to believe others' testimonies is a spiritual gift.  Not a weakness![x]  “To some it is given by the Holy Ghost to know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and that he was crucified for the sins of the world. To others it is given to believe on their words, that they also might have eternal life if they continue faithful.”[xi] I have had both of these gifts at different times in my life, ebbing and flowing from one to the other and back again.

As I have remembered and implemented these five anchoring principles when I confront my doubts, my faith and testimony have actually grown—in spite of my doubts. I invite you to consider these principles if (when) you experience doubts or a crisis of your faith.

Are there any other “anchors” you would add to the list? What has helped your faith during episodes of doubt?

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[i] Leaders from my church have addressed the topic of faith and doubts several times over the last few years as well (see here, here, here, here, and here, for example).

[ii] The three years of being a father have taught me things about Heavenly Father that, I am convinced, I could not learn in any other way.

[iii]  2 Nephi 28:30

[iv] Hebrews 5:12-14; 1 Corinthians 3:1-2

[v] Isaiah 55:8-9

[vi] Abraham 3:24-25.For background on the Book of Abraham, read here.

[vii] See Galatians 5:22-23

[viii] Side note: that’s also a big reason why it’s important to have modern-day prophets, but that is for another discussion.

[ix] Yes, I believe that Satan is an actual being.

[x] Thanks and credit to this blog where I discovered this idea: http://geoffsn.blogspot.com/2012/08/russell-hancock-on-testimony-and-church.html

[xi] Doctrine and Covenants 46:13-14. For background on the Doctrine and Covenants, read here.